My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper)

by Melissa Solis

  "No Elijah, I did this. If we would have just listened to Nehemiah in the first place none of this would have happened. You kissed me, and my whole world took a different path. My mother says now I am back on that path. She's going to read the Oracle from now on."

  "There is something she needs to know. Something that Nehemiah showed me just before I captured him."

  "What Elijah?"

  "I don't know if it's changed now or not. But she'll know it when she sees it."

  He offers a warm smile and I can see how easily I must have fallen for him. He begins to fade away with the steam, his sapphire eyes dissipating lastly, as if the moist air had swallowed him up whole.

  "Good bye Elijah." I glance down and finally remember what little clothing I'm wearing. Heat singes my body from the embarrassment. I eye the old looking book on the counter and wonder what is inside but I’m too afraid to open it. I’ve already exceeded the amount of knowledge one person can render in one day.

  I slip into the shower without rousing a single suspicion. Part of me wonders how competent my two guardians are. What if I’d been in danger? How did Elijah pop into the room without alerting them at all? What’s in this book he left me? Part of me is afraid to open it. The naive teen in me can’t wait to get her greedy hands on it. I ease back into the room and notice Elena right where I left her, perched atop my dresser.

  “So did your talk go as you had hoped?” She slithers out. I freeze mid-stride turning all shades of beet.

  “Um I guess so. So you knew he was in there with me?”

  “What kind of fool do you take me for Brennen? I told him he could have five minutes alone with you and if anything happened, a lead spirit-trap had his name on it. What, did you think, you’d snuck one past us?” She gleams out a dark smile. I’m left standing there stunned for a moment. Something tells me I’d better never get on Elena’s bad side.

  "Easy Elena, you must realize how difficult this is for her?" Inara coaxes, attempting to simmer the boiling pot. Now I see why my mother put Inara here, not for added protection from Elijah or demons, no I believe she's here to prevent Elena from ripping my throat out.

  My entourage and I find our way back to Sam's room. I knock quietly on his door at midnight, and slip inside when he eases the door open. Sam pulls me into his arms like he hasn't seen me in years. "I missed you."

  He lays a kiss over me that should be reserved for soldiers coming home from war, and I leave his lips feeling breathless and intoxicated by him. He's changed into nothing but a pair of cotton pants and I slip off my robe and toss it over the big guys face by mistake. Shoot, sorry I wince. He booms out a laugh, and herds my two Keepers into the bathroom. Ah that’s better I sigh a long breath of relief.

  "I missed you too. I don't want to think about how bad I'm going to miss you when you're gone."

  "We still have the summer. By the end, you’ll be ready to ship me off to Texas in a freight box."

  "Never, I may just have to move to Houston. What good is an Ivy League education when I won't be able to concentrate on anything but how many days until the next break?" He sinks down onto the bed and runs his hands along my waist. He looks as if he's giving some serious thought into moving to Massechusets with me.

  This was the Keeper's plan to to insure my safety? Keep me thousands of miles away from the man I love. Elijah's face creeps into my thoughts like a splinter. I try and shake out the image and nestle myself onto Sam's lap. He holds me tight against him and runs kisses up my neck, heating up my body to a simmer. Sam washes the unwanted blue eyes from my head as easily as that.

  "I won't let you give up your dreams for me Brennen. I may be far away, but you'll always be right here." He grips my hands and holds them over his erratically beating heart. I smile and find my way to his lips again.

  I set my alarm for five a.m. and drift off under the warm blanket of Sam’s body as if he were my only shield to a world caving in around us. That night in his arms, I dream of Elijah. Memories flood through my mind as clear as a stream of water. My eyes burst open at the realization that I was totally in love with him. I had never given Sam a real chance when Elijah was around, and living without him for the last six months has cemented those same feelings in my heart, only now they’re for Sam. My mind is struggling with the fact that my love for Elijah has evaporated. Where could a love like that go? It turns my stomach, twists my guts inside until they’re nothing but a tangle of angst.

  I tuck a wave of Sam’s golden hair behind his ear. He’s out cold, his face smoothed over and at peace. His bare chest is immortalized by the moonlight shining in from the window. I run my fingers over the masterpiece and study his face.

  The words of Hell’s president ring in my ear. Because of his mark, my sweet Sam will live out eternity in the pits of Hell. I want to protect him. If I take the deal Malphas offered, we can live in that room together. Three square meals a day. A king size bed all to ourselves. I lick my lips at an eternity of Sam’s gloriously perfect body contouring to my own in every way shape and form.

  There’s a single loophole in his mark though, if Sam’s dies in the place of another, a selfless sacrifice then he gets to go to Heaven. When I die, where will a half-breed like me go? Again I wish they would have let me go on ignorant of all things supernatural. I sit up in the bed and stretch as I turn off the alarm that didn’t quite have the opportunity to go off. Guess I’ll go climb back into my bed upstairs if Taylor hasn’t taken over the whole thing by now.

  I glance up and see two sickly yellow eyes zero in on me from the darkest corner of the room, and I scream for all that is holy and good. Sam flies off the bed as the creature emerges from the shadows with a fully expanded set of wings, dive bombing my boyfriend.

  Will, that’s his name, leaps across the room, and grabs the evil beast, ripping its head clean off. I cringe as it shrieks out an ear piercing scream while he chunks the bird head out the window. Sam sits up on the floor confused as hell and scrambles toward me.

  “What happened? Are you okay?” His hands search my body for missing limbs, because I must have been being hacked to pieces from the scream I let out. He didn’t see it. He can’t see anything that goes on in this crazy monster ridden, version of the world. I wish I couldn’t see this shit either.

  “Sorry, happens all the time with this kid.”

  Will shrugs his shoulders and returns to lounging on the sofa. Inara and Elena didn’t even bother to get up. My breaths came heavy and fast and I think my heart may have jumped out the window right along with the demonic bird head.

  “I guess I had a nightmare. I told you, I hate knowing your off zooming around in a tiny little plane. So many things can go wrong.”

  “Come here.” He opens his arms, and I settle into him as he kisses the top of my head. “I’m very safe when I fly. Did you know there’s a greater chance of being in a fatal car wreck than a plane crash?”

  “So what, you’ll take the bus from now on?”

  He laughs and nuzzles me. “Wow, your heart’s beating fast.” His warm palm flattens over my chest as if he were willing its blood pumping effort to slow down to a survivable rhythm.

  “I think I know what will calm you down.” He gives me a lazy smile. He peels his body off of me and kneels down on the floor next to me like he’s about to propose or something. Seeing him like this only speeds my heart up to the cadence of a snare drum. I blink away unwelcome tears.

  His velvet smooth voice starts in on a song. Sam’s got a voice that could make the top forty. His rendition of Rihanna's Stay, turns me into liquid. I want to stay alright, right here in this bed with him all damned day. Sans the guards from Amorous of course.

  “I love it when you sing to me.” He turns away smiling, being a little bashful now.

  “I’d serenade you every day if you’d let me.” Inara fans herself like she’s going to pass out from Sam’s smoothness. She elbows Elena. I guess she wants her to get on board the Sam-express. Elena taps her non-existent w
atch while glaring obstinately through me.

  “I may hold you to that. You might just have to give Harvard yard a daily concert via Skype.”

  “Oh no ma’am, only one pair of ears will ever hear these pipes.” His eyes dance as he laughs and I can’t help but smile too.

  “I’d better go; Mrs. Rycroft will be checking on us any minute.”

  “Later gator.” He grants me one cheesy grin.

  “After while dile.” I say shaking my head while Elena shoves her finger in her mouth. My elbow finds her rib cage as soon as the door is shut.

  “She’s just miffed her vacation is being spent holed up in a hotel bathroom,” Inara chides

  “You're supposed to be on vacation? I’m sorry Elena, this must be awful for you.”

  “I just can’t wait until we get home. I like your house, it’s not a bad alternative to a vacation. You can make it up to me with some of your cheesecake later.”

  “Only if you take us to Philippe's pizza place in Sicily.”

  “You remember?” she says getting excited. I wobble my head around. I vaguely remember it. She swells with pride as if I just took my first steps.

  “Is everyone still asleep?” I ask with my hand on the door handle. She nods and I slip in the room and stand at the foot of my bed.

  “Up and at em ladies, time for a morning workout. Nothing will get those brain cells humming like a jog at six a.m. we’ve got to score big or go home today!” I get a pillow tossed in my face from the other bed. So I proceed to strip the covers off.

  “Hale, you’re gonna die for this!” Taylor pipes up.

  “Don’t make me get the ice bucket, Taylor. I’m going to wake up the others. Ya’ll meet me in the lobby in ten.” If I thought they were bad, the bitchy ones will probably bite my head off and feed it to me for breakfast. I use the shared door and give them the same treatment just as Mrs. Rycroft opens the hall door to rouse the team.

  “Good morning Mrs. Rycroft. We need you to escort us on our morning jog.” She slumps as if I shot her in the gut.

  “Screw you Hale!” Ari blasts.

  “Can it Ari.”

  I ignore all of the whining and finally get them out the door, miraculously. The same black and tan, large as a bear, dog assumes his rightful place by my side as we begin our jog through central park. This dog has been stalking me since I arrived in New York.

  "Mutt magnet," Ari huffs out already out of breath. Elena slides a branch under Ari's feet, and the witch goes flying. I cringe at the thud her body makes as it plows into the pavement. I jog over to her and help her up, giving Elena a bemused glance. There's no way she's a real angel.

  "Karma's a real bitch hmm?"

  Ari examines her scraped knees and elbows and decides she'll skip on the run. We have to wait ten minutes while Mrs. Rycroft returns a battered Ari. I shoot Sam a text.

  "Whatcha wearing?" My phone buzzes seconds later with a picture. A sleepy shirtless Adonis grins back at me tangled up in his sheets. Good grief, it makes me wish I was the one going back to the hotel. Sam's body should definitely not be alone under those sheets.

  Caitlyn glances over at my phone as the screen times out. "Holy hell, your boyfriend has a six pack." Inara glares into her like she may have well dropped the "f" bomb. Her dark curls spring around her face like a basket full of Slinkies.

  "And yet he lives on Doritos and Dr.Pepper, wish I were so lucky."

  Mrs. Rycroft finally returns, and our morning jog gets underway. The city disappears from site, swallowed up by the lush trees in minutes. I wish I had half the morning to run out here. These girls will probably wimp out before we reach the next bend.

  My thoughts keep drifting back to Elijah and his good-bye. He said they were going to take him. Where? He may not be himself? I try and fathom the depth of what that means for him. How does someone go from being a wholly good and noble being, an angel, to being a minister for darkness? The only person that I know who has the answer to that is Jesson. I must find out how to help Elijah.

  Taylor is the first to turn to jello. Mrs. Rycroft turns us around, and we head back to the hotel after only fifteen minutes.

  "Sorry Brennen, I'm addicted to my bed," Taylor says holding on to my shoulder for support.

  "Slow deep breaths Taylor." She pushes her glasses back up her sweat cover nose.

  The stray dog growls at a man sitting on a park bench and starts barking his head off. I blink into the other realm and confirm he's a demon. They’re everywhere. The guy fluffs out his newspaper as if he has better things to do than torment me. No, I'm sure they will find it far more entertaining to murder me with the hand of the newly fallen angel they've procured, or my own boyfriend for that matter.

  I like this dog, he's handy. I am going to ask Sam to bring him back home so I can try and find him a home before I leave for college. There's no way I can leave him here after he tried to save my life.

  *~*~*

  After the festivities are all over with, we return to the hotel to enjoy a few hours of relaxation before we catch our flight home. We're going home with first place honors. Mr. Potter is still beaming from ear to ear. I tell the girls I’m going to the hotel’s spa for a foot massage.

  I knock on Sam's door, and he snatches me up so quickly I think I have whip lash. He kisses me tenderly.

  "Miss me?"

  He smells fresh from the shower, and his hair is still damp.

  "You know I did." Sam is eager for me to tell him about all of the details of my day, and as we veg out on the bed, I can't help but feel loved.

  "So, I have a favor to ask you," I say rolling over to my back.

  "Why do you sound like your about to ask me for my kidney? I mean I'd give it to you in a heartbeat but..." I laugh at his willingness to donate organs so freely.

  "Sam, no I just need you to bring something home for me."

  "Did you go overboard on the souvenirs?"

  "Sort of." I smile.

  Sam follows me outside. The barrage of city noise slams into us like a wrecking ball. The dog is sitting right where I left him this morning. I buy him another hot dog, and he inhales it.

  "Geeze dog, chew first."

  "You want me to transport that small horse all the way back to Sandbridge?"

  "Please, I won't be able to sleep at night if I think about him all alone, and every time I think about calling animal control, he disappears." The dog looks up at Sam with his head tilted to one side, large brown eyes that could beg their way out of a felony if need be, capture his heart.

  "Oh, all right."

  "Oh thank you!" I plant a kiss on Sam's cheek. Inara scratches the dog’s chin. I smile as his eyes roll lazily back in pleasure.

  "He said the man with the blue eyes called him Brutus."

  Inara clues me in to the fact that she can apparently speak fluent dog. I find the fact interesting and weird. I mull the name over in my head. This small horse can have no other name.

  "Brutus, that's what we'll call him."

  Chapter 2 ~ Mystery Shopper

  Finally back at home, Sam sets my bag down by the door and kisses me goodbye. He’s already managed to fly home and pick me up at the airport on time. I'm so happy to be home I could hug the front door.

  “Brutus is in a kennel on the patio with food and water.”

  “Thanks again. Call me when you get home.”

  “I always do.” I watch the lights of his truck back out of my drive-way, missing him already. I check on Brutus, and find him sound asleep in his make shift bed. Elena and Inara are already raiding the kitchen, while I slip off to my bedroom with my bag.

  I pull out a slinky silk camisole, and flannel shorts to change into. I missed you my pillow, perfectly soft and plump, I should have brought you with me. I lay there for what feels like hours but in reality it's only been twenty minutes, but I can't fall asleep. I switch the lamp on and fumble for Elijah’s diary. I’d begun to read it on the short plane ride and now I can't seem to put it down. I find
the entry from my sixteenth birthday where I left off.

  Journal of E.M January 1st, 2011

  I can't get over how beautiful you're growing up to be. Your friends in Japan are taking you out to celebrate. They want you to give sushi a try, you think eating raw fish will be extraordinarily repulsive, but you're too kind to suggest something else. You pinch your nose and gobble down your first bite.

  I laugh because you find that you love it. You want to try something else now. They sneak you a shot of Sake, now two, and I begin to worry. Before long, you're dancing with them. A man in the corner is watching you. He has a fascination with young American girls and I sense something bad about him. I'm rarely wrong.

  I whisper in your ear, "It's time to go home." I hope you can hear me. You keep dancing. Your long waves of hair move like kelp in the sea, brushing over your hips in ways that that make me wish I was dancing with you. Well, why not? You can't see me. I move next to you, placing my arms around your waist and we move to the beat. I can almost feel the heat from your skin touching mine.

  The man moves from his seat and thinks he's going to join the dance party. He's drunk, so I trip him and he bangs his head on a nearby table. The bus boys drag him out to the street and tell him to go home. But he doesn't, he waits outside for you.

  You and the girls go to leave and he emerges from behind a parked car. He slurs, happy birthday to you in Japanese, and you walk around him and smile.

  I'm right next to you, ready to end this creep. He goes to grab your rear end as you pass him, but I seize him by the hair and walk him straight into the street lamp. His head rings on the metal like a gong. You and the girls giggle at the sight of it. I love to hear you laugh. ~

  I remember that, my dad pulled up a second later on his motorcycle and took me home. He left the next day for his mission and I never saw him alive again. I remember how my arms wrapped around his waist and held on for the ride. I was always so grateful that we got that last night together. He gave me a short tour of the city and treated me to coffee and cake at a local bakery. I'm pretty sure he knew I'd been drinking, but he never said a word. He liked to give me the benefit of the doubt. He would say, “Baby girl, mistakes are yours to make in life, and my job is to make sure they’re few and far between. So there ya go.”